School Counsellor Role Profile

Purpose of Role

The School Counsellor’s priority is to support the academic and social welfare of students by initiating and maintaining positive relationships with students, staff, and families to enhance the school’s academic mission. They play a crucial role in creating a safe and productive environment where students can achieve their potential, providing both direct counselling support and intervention strategies for personal development and sensitive issues. Additionally, they engage with the wider community to build cooperative partnerships that contribute to student success.

About the School:

Aspen Heights British School (AHBS) is a truly inclusive school based on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. We are proud of our inclusive ethos and our commitment to ensuring all children are provided with personalised learning experiences and the proper support to ensure they can make progress in learning in all areas.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

School Counsellor Key Responsibilities

Student Wellbeing and Support

●        Provide individual and group counselling sessions to support students’ emotional, social, and behavioural needs.

●        Offer short-term intervention strategies for students experiencing challenges such as anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, friendship issues, bullying, and academic concerns.

●        Develop and implement preventative mental health programs in line with the school's wellbeing framework.

●        Assist students in developing coping mechanisms to manage school-related stress and transitions.

●        Identify students at risk and initiate early intervention strategies in collaboration with the Inclusion Team.

●        Maintain appropriate confidentiality protocols while ensuring students’ safety in compliance with school policies.

Referral and External Coordination

●        Provide individual and group counselling sessions to support students’ emotional, social, and behavioural needs.

●        Offer short-term intervention strategies for students experiencing challenges such as anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, friendship issues, bullying, and academic concerns.

●        Develop and implement preventative mental health programs in line with the school's wellbeing framework.

●        Assist students in developing coping mechanisms to manage school-related stress and transitions.

●        Identify students at risk and initiate early intervention strategies in collaboration with the Inclusion Team.

●        Maintain appropriate confidentiality protocols while ensuring students’ safety in compliance with school policies.

Collaboration with Staff and Families

●        Work closely with teachers, Inclusion staff, and school leadership to integrate social-emotional learning into the curriculum.

●        Support staff with classroom strategies to address student behaviour and emotional needs.

●        Provide guidance to parents through one-on-one meetings, workshops, and resources on supporting their child’s mental health.

●        Serve as a key member of the school’s Child Protection Team, ensuring adherence to safeguarding policies.

●        Assist in developing student support plans (e.g., behaviour intervention plans, individual wellbeing strategies) in coordination with the Inclusion team or Heads of Schools.

●        Communicates with parents on a regular, informal basis and to deal with day to day queries

●        Attends Parents’ Evenings as required and to provide accurate, honest information regarding the progress of individuals at these meetings

Whole-School Wellbeing Initiatives

●        Lead school-wide wellbeing initiatives, including awareness campaigns, workshops, and mindfulness activities.

●        Coordinate a student wellness space, ensuring students have a safe environment for emotional regulation and reflection.

●        Organise mental health-related staff training sessions to improve capacity in recognising and responding to student wellbeing concerns.

Policy and Compliance

●        Ensure counselling services comply with the school's Mental Health, Safeguarding, and Inclusion policies.

●        Maintain accurate counselling records in line with data protection laws and school confidentiality guidelines.

●        Contribute to the school’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee and collaborate with ADEK and ISP network initiatives.

General

●        To complete all other tasks that can be reasonably expected of a counsellor

●        To be fully aware of Health and Safety across the school

Health and Safety

●        Implement and promote safe counselling practices in compliance with school policies and ADEK regulations.

●        Actively monitor student wellbeing and escalate safeguarding concerns in line with school safeguarding procedures.

●        Ensure students understand the importance of responsible emotional and behavioural management in all aspects of school life.

●        Emphasizes the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to the students the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others and respect for Aspen Heights British School’s property and equipment

●        Perform all playground duties on time and with due diligence to safeguard Aspen students

●        Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities

●        Ensure that, all the necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed

●        Maintain an awareness of all the health and safety measures to be taken when in school

Staff Development, ECA & Cover

●        Attends and participates fully, in Staff Development, staff meetings and briefings as set

●        Provides cover for absent colleagues as and when necessary

●        Contributes to the extra-curricular activity program to enrich the school experience for the students as reasonably directed by the SLT and ECA Coordinator

Personal and Professional Conduct

All staff are expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. Staff must maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

●        Treating students with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position

●        Having regard for the need to safeguard students’ well-being

●        Showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others

●        Not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

●        Ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit students’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law

●        Staff must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality

●        Staff must have an understanding of, and always act within, the cultural expectations of UAE and the policies and expectations of the school which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified.

Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.

Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Educational Qualifications Required for the Role

●        Master’s Degree (QFE 9) in School Counselling, Psychology, or a related field (Preferred) OR

●        Bachelor’s Degree (QFE 7) in School Counselling, Psychology, or a related subject, plus two years of school counselling experience.

Minimum Years of Experience Required

●        Minimum 2 years’ experience in school counselling or student wellbeing roles.

Licensing

●        Must obtain or hold the Department of Community Development (DCD) licence

Other Requirements

Knowledge

●        Understanding of child psychology, mental health interventions, and safeguarding.

●        Awareness of school curriculum and assessment methods to support student wellbeing effectively.

●        Application of effective counselling and intervention strategies to meet the individual needs of all students.

●        Strong leadership and organisational abilities to manage wellbeing programs and student interventions.

●        Up-to-date knowledge of curriculum developments and best practices in mental health support within an educational setting.

Skills

●        Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

●        Ability to develop positive relationships with students, staff, and parents.

●        High level of IT competency for documentation, reporting, and virtual support where necessary.

●        Strong interpersonal skills, including tact, patience, and the ability to work collaboratively.

●        Proficiency in English (mandatory); additional Arabic language skills are an advantage.

Personal Attributes

●        Empathy and active listening skills.

●        Cultural awareness and sensitivity to diverse student backgrounds.

●        Collaboration and teamwork with staff, students, and parents.

●        Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive issues professionally.

●        Strong organisational skills to manage multiple cases and wellbeing programs.

●        Passionate about delivering quality education and fostering student success.

●        Able to command respect of students, colleagues, and parents.

●        Organised with proven ability to meet deadlines.

●        Driven by continuous improvement and contributing to school development.

●        Reliable with attention to detail and a commitment to high standards.

●        Critical thinker with strong problem-solving skills.

●        Safeguarding and welfare of children as a top priority.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history. 

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.